Belt buckle

ABSTRACT

An article or wearing apparel such as a belt buckle provided with an ornament on the front member and an indicator that is movable around the front member to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, each of which positions being intended to convey a different message.

United States Patent [191 Gagner BELT BUCKLE [76] lnventor: Joseph L.Gagner, PO. Box 1406,

1 10 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, Calif. 95030 [22] Filed: Mar. 25,1974 [21] Appl. No.: 454,688

[52] US. Cl 40/21 C [51] Int. Cl. G091 3/14 [58] Field of Search 40/70,1.6, 21 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,521,198 9/1950Adler 40/1.6 X 1,598,995 9/1926 Ward 116/133 3,043,037 7/1962 Lesser eta1. 40/21 C [451 May 13, 1975 Nelson 40/1 .6 X

Claude Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-WenceslaoJ. Contreras Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ben .1. Chromy; Gerald L. Moore[57] ABSTRACT An article or wearing apparel such as a belt buckleprovided with an ornament on the from member and an indicator that ismovable around the front member to any one of a plurality ofpredetermined positions, each of which positions being intended toconvey a different message.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures sum 10F 2 FIG.3

FIG. I

BELT BUCKLE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates toarticles of wearing apparel such as belt buckles, or the like providedwith a feature such as a movable indicator which may be placed in aposition to denote a message by the wearer.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved article of wearingapparel such as a belt buckle, or the like with an adjustable indicator,the different positions of the indicator being intended to conveydifferent messages.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved article ofwearing apparel such as a belt buckle, or the like which is providedwith an adjustable indicator, said article being made of metal, plastic,wood, or the like shaped so that it may be economically and efficientlymanufactured.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an article ofwearing apparel such as a belt buckle, or the like with an adjustablemedallion on the front thereof which may be decorated with a monogram,sign of the zodiac or any other sign adaptable to be exhibited thereonand which is adjustable to any one of a plurality of positions intendedto convey different messages.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification,claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a front view of this device assembled with a belt which isshown partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is a back view of this device as assembled with the belt;

FIG. 3 is a side view of this device and the belt attached thereto;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of this inventiontaken along the line 44 of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional viewof this device similar to that shown in FIG. 4, showing the front of thede-..

vice in released position so that the indicator supporting member may beturned in any of its predetermined positions;

FIG, 6 is an exploded view of this device; J

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail reference numeral 10 designates theadjustable circular body member of this device to which the indicator IIwhich may be in the shape of a cross, for example, is attached. Theindicator may have any one ofa number of different shapes intended toserve as an indicator or as an ornament. The member 10 may be made ofmetal, plastic or similar materials and it may be made on a punch press,die cast or molded as desired.

A large recess is provided in the center of the member 10 and the frontmember 12 which may be a medallion, monogram with jewels attached, orthe like, is positioned in this recess to protrude slightly therefrom.The front member I2 may also be made of metal, plastic, or the like, andit may be made by punch press, molded or die cast as desired. A stud l3which has a predetermined geometric shape such as that of a hexagon,octagon, or the like, is attached to the back sur face of the frontmember 12 by soldering, welding, gluing, or similar process. The stud 13extends through a when the parts ofthisdevice are assembled as shown inFIG. 4. The base or bottom member 16 is provided with a beltreceivingloop 16b and a hook 16c. One end of the belt 17 is looped around theloop 16b as shown in FIG. 3 and the other end of the belt which isprovided with holes 17a is adapted to be engaged by the hook in any oneof these holes as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, when the belt is worn aroundthe waist of the wearer the ends thereof are assembled as shown in FIGS.2 and 3 to hold the belt and this device assembled.

The base member 16 is provided with a cavity 18 that is surrounded bywall structure 19 having a predetermined geometric shape on the outsidethereof which corresponds to the internal geometric shape of the recess10c provided in the member 10. Thus, when the wall structure 19 extendsinto the recess 10c, member 10 is fixed with respect to the base member16 and under these conditions the member 10 is not adjustable withrespect to the base member 16. Wall structure 19 is provided with a top19a and a hole which is of the same geometric shape as the externalshape of the stud I3, is provided in this top. Thus, the front member 12to which the stud 13 is attached, is not rotatable with respect to thebase member 16. However, the stud I3 is slidable in the hole provided inthe top 19a. By pressing on the washer 20 which is attached to thebottom of the stud 13 by the screw 21, the stud l3 and front member 12is moved upward against the tension of the spring 22 and the washer 15is brought into engagement with the member 10a so that the adjustablemember 10 is moved upward and the recess 10b thereof is dislodged fromthe top of the wall structure 19. Thereafter the member 10 which carriesthe indicator 11 may be adjusted to any one of a predetermined number ofangles as determined by the shape of the wall structure 19 and recess10b.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the inventionit will be understood that the invention is capable of modification andvariation from the form shown so that its scope should be limited onlyby the proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

I. A belt buckle having an adjustable member with an indicator attachedthereto, the combination comprising a base member having means on itsbackside for gripping a belt, said base member having a cavity in thecenter thereof extending away from said belt, said cavity beingsurrounded by wall structure of predetermined external geometric shape,an adjustable member positioned on the outside of said base member, saidadjustable member having a recess facing said base member, said recessbeing of said predetermined geometric shape for receiving said wallstructure, a front member having a stud attached thereto, a portion ofsaid stud extending into said cavity. means attached to said stud forengaging said adjustable member so that the recess of said adjustablemember is dislodged from said wall structure when pressure is applied tosaid stud and said adjustable member is free to rotate to position theindiacterized in that said stud is of predetermined geomet-* 4 ricshape, slidable in a hole of the same shape base member to prevent saidstud and said front member from rotating with respect to said basemember;

4. A belt buckle as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a springattached to said stud normally holding said recess of saidadjustablemember assembled with,

said recess.

in said I

1. A belt buckle having an adjustable member with an indicator attachedthereto, the combination comprising a base member having means on itsbackside for gripping a belt, said base member having a cavity in thecenter thereof extending away from said belt, said cavity beingsurrounded by wall structure of predetermined external geometric shape,an adjustable member positioned on the outside of said base member, saidadjustable member having a recess facing said base member, said recessbeing of said predetermined geometric shape for receiving said wallstructure, a front member having a stud attached thereto, a portion ofsaid stud extending into said cavity, means attached to said stud forengaging said adjustable member so that the recess of said adjustablemember is dislodged from said wall structure when pressure is applied tosaid stud and said adjustable member is free to rotate to position theindicator thereof in any one of a plurality of predetermined positions.2. A belt buckle as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in thatsaid stud holds said front member to prevent rotation of said frontmember with respect to said base member.
 3. A belt buckle as set forthin claim 2, further characterized in that said stud is of predeterminedgeometric shape, slidable in a hole of the same shape in said basemember to prevent said stud and said front member from rotating withrespect to said base member.
 4. A belt buckle as set forth in claim 3,further comprising a spring attached to said stud normally holding saidrecess of said adjustable member assembled with said recess.